Shock absorber



I wsafi.

n. F. McMAHON.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 10. 1919.

1,41 0,940. Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES DAN/El, RMW/wo/K.

-D. F. MCMAH'ON.

SHOCK ABSORBER. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1919. v 1,410,940, Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SH EET 3' {q Q INVENTOR A TTORNEYS D. F. McMAHO-N.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-10.1919.

' 1,410,940. Patented. Mar. 28, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

VENTOR A TTUR/VEYS Figure l DANIEL FRANCIS invitation, or 01011330, ILLINOIS.

SHOCK ABSORBER,

Ldlihil iii.

Specification of Letterslatent. l atgntgd fyi 28 Application filed November 10, 1919. Serial N0. 336,867..

the shocks to which the body of a motor vehicle is subjected, although it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to this particular adaptation.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide shock absorber of the frictional type wherein a set of movable plates is associated with a set of stationary plates, one of the sets being formed with friction surfaces to provide the required friction between the sets of plates to effect a control of the movement of the body of the vehicle with relation to the chassis.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide means for varying the frictional contact between the sets of plates and for guiding the movable plates during movement and maintaining the stationary plates in predetermined positions.

sorber embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims. I

In theaccompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view, showing in side elevation one form of shock absorber embodying my invention 1 Figure 2 longitudinal sectional view of the body of the shock absorber shown in Figure 1; I I V FigureB is a transverse sectional view of the body of the shock absorber shown in is an enlarged detail view, show- Figure 4 mg in side elevation one manner of coI1- .necting the shock absorber to the chassis andbody of the vehicle; and

Figures 5 to 12, inclusive, are detail views of the shock absorber shown in'the preced i ng views.

Similar references characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and

particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, 15 designates an L-shaped casting which is bolted E by means of bolts 16, such to the chassis I will describe one form of shock ab plates P.

- castings constituting a bracket for supporting the body of the shock absorber As shown in lligures 2 and 3, l7 designates a bolt which extends'through a horizontal arm of the bracket 15, and has its head partially embedded therein. The upper threaded end of the bolt is'embraced by an arm 18 which is secured to thevertical portion of the brackets 'byone of the bolts 16. Surrounding the shank of the bolt 17 is a sleeve bushing l9, and interposed 'be tween the lower end of such bushing and the bracket 15 is a flat ring 20 formed on .its upper surface with recesses 20 to. re-

ceive the heads of stays 2i. Surrounding the, ring 20 and resting upon the bracketlfi isabushing 22. 1 a V i The body B of the shock absorber in'the present embodiment comprises a set of stationary plates P, a set ofmovable plates P, and a set of friction plates P which are secured to the stationary plates and are interposed between the latter and the. movable plates. .As'shown in. Figure, 5, each stationary plate is provided centrallythereof with a circular opening 23, the walls of which embrace the periphery of the sleeve bushing 19, and adjacent the opening'23 the plate is formed. with smaller openings 524%, through which the stays 21 are adapted to extend. By this arrangement it will be seen that the stationary plates .17 are free to slide vertically upon the sleeve bushing 2.1

but are locked against longitudinal movement with respect to the bolt 17. Referring again to Figure 5, the opposite ends of each plate P are recessed to provide slots 25 to accommodate the supporting rivets for the movable plate P as will be hereinafter described. g

In the present instance I have shown the body of the shock absorberuprovided with three stationaryplates P arranged one above the other as is clearly shown in'Figures 2 and 3. Secured to theinner sides of the upper and lower plates P and to the opposite sides of the intermediate plate P arethe friction plates such plates being preferably formed of wood or any other suitable fibrous material which provides friction surfaces so as to secure the proper friction betweenjthese plates and the movable As shown in Figure 6, each plate P is provided centrally thereof with a recessed portion 26 which constitutes a socket for receiving a head H secured to the stationary plate P. by means of rivets 27, as clearlyshown. in Figure The detail construction of each head H is clearly shown in Figure 10, wherein it will be noted it is provided with curved portions which are adapted to fit in correspondingly shaped recesses formed in the socket 263. The purpose of this arrangement is to lock the friction plates P securely to the corresponding plate P so that the former will not move under the action of the movable plates P. As shown in Figure 6, the opposite end edges of each plate P are beveled to provide tongues 28, which are adapted to co'act with tongues 29 formed on one longitudinal edge of securing bars K for forming an additional means for locking the friction plate to the corresponding stationary plate P.

As illustrated to advantage in Figure 2, the

securing bars K are arranged along the marginal edges of the stationary platesP.

and are secured thereto by means of rivets 30. Secured contiguous to the transverse edges of the stationary plates P also by rivets 30 and at one side of the securing bars K are bars I\ which are so formed as to coact with the bars-K to provide a clamp for the L-shaped shank of wipers W. As shown in Figure 2, the wipers W thesurfaces of the movable plates.

Referring again to Figure 2, the movable plates P are shown interposed between adjacent pairsof friction plates P and are connected at their ends'for simultaneousmovement by means of rivets '31 which extend through ears 32 formed on the transverse edges of such plates. As shown m Figure 7, each plate P is formed along its longitudinal axis with a slot 33, whichreceives the bolt 17 and thereby allows unrestricted longitudinal movement of such plates. As shown in Figure 2, the rivets 31 are provided with enlarged intermediate tion in order that the movement of the movable"plates'may' be properly controlled, I

' provide. a sprin S such as shown in detail In, Figure 8.

p p I s shown in Figures 2 and 3,the'spr1ngS embraces the upper end of the bolt 17, its four fingers extending downwa'rdly and bearing against the upper side of the upper plate P. lnorder to permit fvertical adjustment of the spring S, a collar '35 is interposed between the spring and ,of links 4l) and 41.

the links 40 and 41 are pivotally connected to plates 42 and 43, respectively, the latter bolt, such collar being formed on a washer 36 interposed between the spring and a nut 37. From this arrangement it will be seen that by rotating the nut in one direction or the other, the spring S will be moved downwardly to increase the pressure of the abrasive plates P upon the movable plates P or moved upwardly to relieve such pres sure, thus it will be seen that the pressure exerted upon the stationary plates P is determined solely by the adjustment of the nut 3-7 and that as the pressure is increased or decreased. the friction between the friction plates P and the movable plates P is increased or decreased accordingly.

Referring 'now to Figures 1 and 4, 38 designates a collar which embraces the bushing 84, of the rivet 31 disposed in the left- .in Figure 2. The collar 38 is connected to a relatively short link 39, which latter in turn is pivotally connected to the ends of a pair The opposite ends of being'secured tothechassis and axle A, respectively. As shown in Figure 11, the plate 42 is formed with a threaded extension 42 to which the end of the link 40 is connected. The plate 42 isalso formed with alug 42 which constitutes a stop for limiting the movement of the link 40 in one direction. As shown in Figure 12, the plate 43 is likewise provided with a threaded extension 43 to which the lower end of the link 41 is connected.

The normal positions of the links 40 and 41 is shown in Figure 4 and in this position the movable plate P occupies the position of Figure 2. As the links 40 and 41 are connected to the axle and chassis, it will-be seen that upon movement of the axle upwardly or downwardly with respect to the chassis,

the links will be moved toward or away from each other so as to effect a movement of the plates P in one direction or the other I with relation to the stationary plates P.- portlons 31 WhlCh provide, shoulders for r From the foregoing description, taken in conjunct on wlth the accomp'anving drawings, the operation of the shock absorber will be readily understood as follows:

As the movable plates P are moved horizontally between the abrasive plates P under the action of the links 40 and-41, the surface of the movableplatescontact with the surfaces of the. friction plates P and because the surface of the plates P are roughened, it will be obvious that great friction is created between the surfaces of the two plates thus retarding the movemento-f the movable plates; Should the surfaces of the plates P or P? become worn after repeated use so that the proper-frictional contact is destroyed, it is obvious that by adjusting the .nut 37 the spring S will be caused claim to move the plates P into closer contact with the plates P so that the proper friction is again restored. As the movableplates P reciprocate under the action of the links and ll, the wipers W, which may he formed of any suitable material such as leather or the like, engage the opposite sides of the plates P and thereby maintain the same clean at all times. It has been found in practice, that the frictional contact between the plates P and P generates a small amount of heat but that such heat never be comes excessive and detrimental becaus a portion of the movable plates P are at all times exposed. These exposed portions permit radiation of the heat with a consequent cooling of the plates.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of shock absorber embodying my invention, it is to b understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

1. A shock absorber comprising stationary plates, friction plates, a securing bar carried by the stationary plates and engageable with the friction plates for securing the latter to the former, heads carried by the stationary plates, sockets formed in the friction plates and receiving said heads, and interconnected movabl plates interposed between adjacent friction plates.

2. A shock absorber comprising, stationary plates, friction plates, securing bars secured to the stationary plates, tongues formed on the bars and on the friction plates adapted to engage each other for locking the friction plates to the stationary plates, heads carried by the stationary plates, sockets formed in the friction plates and receiving said heads,

a bolt extending through and loosely fitted in all of said plates, and movable plates interposed between the friction plates and having slots formed therein to receive said bolt.

3. A shock absorber comprising, stationary plates, friction plates, securing bars secured to the stationaryplates, tongues formed on the securing bars and on the friction plates and coacting with each other to retain the friction plates on the stationary plates, a 

